Peach Pie Please

Yesterday was quite glorious. It all started at 5 a.m when I woke up and showered. After my shower I made my homemade pumpkin spice latte (not really a latte but it sounds prettier), got ready for work, and did my devotions. My daily devotions come from "Jesus Calling," and I also am reading the New Testament. After having a pretty rough and exhausting day before, the devotion was perfect. The devotion was about not letting my circumstances define who I think God is.

 "Jenny, I love you. Always. Allow my grace to shine through your day. Stay in constant communication with me and give me those moments."

You know those days where you're having a bad day? Are you still praising God? Sometimes I don't. All I think about is what's happening to me and how I don't like it.

Instead of feeling God's love and grace through those circumstances, I'm allowing those circumstances to define God.

Work was better yesterday. I came in cheerful, happy and energized. We went to the Sudanese Center to do our monthly monitoring and then we went to a Sudanese Restaurant with Gat, the executive director. His story is amazing. He spent most of the lunch explaining his journey from Sudan to America. I can't even express the feelings I felt during it. Let's just say I had tears in my eyes almost the whole time. Absolutely amazing.

Since I got off work a little earlier than usual, I had a lot of the evening to myself. I worked out and then showered. As I was relaxing and watching The Office, I kept thinking about how much I wanted to bake. You see, I love baking.

It's a pure joy in my life. But I don't do it nearly enough because I don't think I can. But I've nipped that in the bud, I CAN do it. And I will.

I'd love to start sending stuff to people. I love baking but I don't eat it really. A couple bites maybe but I'd rather give it to someone else. So, if you have a request or want something, e-mail/message/facebook, something! I'd love to do it.

I digress.

I layed in bed thinking, I really don't want to go to the store. So what could I make with what I have?

I have flour.

Butter.

Eggs.

Peaches.

Sugar.

PEACH PIE!

I've never made pie before, 1st attempt was actually quite impressive if I say so myself.

Here it goes.

You start off with butter and flour. LOTS.

Mush it around with your hands. BY far my favorite. You may think it's weird, but I was in heaven doing this.

My hand is in there somewhere, but it starts forming into clumps.

Take this lovely mound and stick it in the freezer, please.

While the mound of bliss is freezing, boil and cut up the peaches.

Toss them in sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and cornstarch.

I stuck that back in the fridge.

30 minutes later, my mound is ready to be flattened.

No rolling pin? That's ok.

Pasta sauce will work!

mmm...

Looking good..



Carefully drape it over the pie pan. Don't FORGET the grease! Please.



At this point, I am the most excited person in the world.

Poke holes in the crust.

I can probably improve on the lattice topping.

Baking at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes

Done!

I successfully created my first ever homemade pie.



I love my apron. I think it's my good luck apron.

Thanks Mommy! :)

I'll post the recipe on my facebook!

Masks

"Many of us grown ups wear masks everyday. Depending on the occasion or circumstance we throw on a mask to fit our need. We have become afraid of letting people see the real us. We are afraid of letting someone see our shortcomings out of the fear that they will not like or love us. At work we may throw on a mask of authority and power in order to seem in control. At home we may throw on a mask of contentment, a mask of everything is okay, out of fear our spouse may not love someone with problems. At church we throw on a mask of self-righteousness and pride, a mask of "I have this God stuff in my life together, so don't ask me how I am doing. I don't need any help; I don't want any fellowship with you people that are down and out. I am okay." Maybe we even have a mask of rationalization that we put on in compromising situations, a mask that shows the boys on the golf course "I am really just like you; this church stuff is just for Sundays."

On and on we go, shuffling our masks on and off from situation to situation, until one day our masks fail us. No matter how good you are at this game, eventually cracks develop from all the wear and tear of changing masks. As the cracks develop people start seeing the real you in-between the cracks. Some may even reach out to help, but that mask of pride, which has now become a prison of pride, will not allow anyone inside. All the masks will become prisons of guilt, resentment, self-centeredness and on and on. The prisons can become solitary confinement, locking out even God. In addition you lose your identity. You lose the core you, the real you.

If you find yourself in a prison built in your mind, built by your actions, built by losing the real you somewhere behind these masks. I urge you to pour your heart out to God and cast the masks upon Him. It's time to find the core you and to let others inside to help you. Let a pastor or Christian friend inside your walls to help you up.

Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NIV) If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

It takes along time to build these prisons out of masks, so remember it will take time to tear them down. But I can guarantee that you will never get out, if you don't start today." You can find this here.

I randomly started thinking this morning about a devotion I heard while I was in high school, about "Masks." I remember my youth pastor asked us the different masks we wore and asked why and when we put them on. It sounded a bit odd that a personality was referred to as a mask, but it's true. Masks are popular these days, and maybe for some, every day.

Church.

Home.

Friends.

Work.

Family.

School.

Sports.

Etc.


Why do you wear them? Is it to model a life of perfection or do you do it to please a certain someone?

Take off your mask, and be the person God created you to be. Show the world you individualism, your personal strengths, and even your weaknessess.

Let your weakness be your strength.